Will Rogers State Park

Before European settlement, the land comprising the Will Rogers Ranch sat along the territorial frontier separating the Chumash and Gabrieleno / Tongva native groups. The Gabrieleno / Tongva region covered most of present-day Los Angeles, from the San Gabriel mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Abundant coastal resources enabled both Chumash and Gabrieleno / Tongva people to live relatively peaceful, healthy lives until the 1800s brought Spanish colonization. From 1827 until the early 20th century, this area belonged to the vast Rancho Boca de Santa Monica. The Mexican government granted Antonio Ignacio and Francisco Javier Alvarado grazing rights to the land; later the land itself was granted to Ysidro Reyes and Francisco Marquez. Part of the acreage eventually came into the possession of philanthropists, oilman, and real estate developer Alphonzo Bell, founder of Bel Air Estates (named after Mr. Bell and later renamed Bel-Air). Due to its very steep and rugged canyon terrain, the area that is now Will Rogers State Historic Park remained almost untouched until 1922. That year, while Rogers and his family were still living in Beverly Hills, Alphonzo Bell sold Will the first 200 acres of the land that would become his beloved family ranch.